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WINNIPEG -- Several petitions have sprung up in protest of businesses tied to Centerplate, an American catering company that has contracts with both B.C. Place in Vancouver and Winnipeg's MTS Centre.

Petitioners want the arenas to cut ties with the company in the wake of a video of Centerplate president and CEO Desmond Hague allegedly abusing a one-year-old female Doberman pincher in a Vancouver hotel elevator. One petition had more than 16,000 signatures Monday.

Bill McDonald, CEO of the Winnipeg Humane Society, said he was upset after watching the video.

"If the B.C. (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has seen it, they've probably already decided to lay charges," he said. "To do something like that to that little Dobie, this guy needs help...that type of behaviour is not acceptable in society."

True North Sports and Entertainment, which runs the MTS Centre, issued a statement Sunday calling Hague's behaviour "deeply disturbing," but said it has adopted a wait-and-see approach until the courts decide what to do -- if it goes to court.

Hague has already admitted responsibility and issued an apology.

Centerplate also issued a statement to Vancouver media saying it does not condone "the mistreatment of animals" and is looking into the incident.